Good News About Asa Mercer Middle School

Principal Andhra Lutz has taken a new job in Washington D.C. as the instructional leader of a whole group of high poverty schools. To meet this challenge, she brings with her the story of the successful transformation of Asa Mercer Middle School. In the five years she has been at Mercer it has become a high achieving, high poverty school.

Some of MIPC’s tutors met with Susan Toth, former Associate Principal and new Asa Mercer Principal on June 7 to hear an update on Mercer’s year and plans for the future. Susan has had a chance to work with Andhra for the last 5 years and has been part of most decisions about the school. She will carry on the work that has transformed Asa Mercer’s identity.

At our meeting she told us that the free and reduced lunch program is used by 78% of the school’s population. They now qualify as a Title 1 school which means they have federal funding to help support their students.

Regardless of the high poverty rate, an example of the continued academic achievement is that five years ago, Mercer’s science test scores were at 18% and now they are at 70%...higher than other more affluent middle schools. The one word that Susan repeated several times about their commitment to academic achievement was “relentless.” Nothing will deter them from working for students’ academic achievement.

Our tutors have been privileged to see the transformation at Mercer over the eleven years that we have been there. As many of the tutors have said, “It’s a great place to be.” They speak of the talented and committed staff and the respectful and hard working students.

If you’d like more information about joining the MIPC tutor team, please contact Linda Fetters, lfetters@aol.com.